Overheating all the sudden
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Joined: Oct 2003
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From: California
Overheating all the sudden
We have a 1993 Explorer, V-6, auto, w/A/C. It has 138,000 miles. It has started overheating after I drive it 5 or so miles. It has good antifreeze, I changed it about a month ago. I let it cool and took the radiator cap off, I then added water and put the cap back on and let it idle. The temp gauge in the dash shows almost maxed out. I can see the overflow tank filling. I carefully took a rag and opened the cap. Fluid went all over of course. I added water until it was full to try and see if I could see in the radiator if the water was flowing. The water pump is NOT froze. The pulley is turning fine. However, I hear a MAJOR gurgling sound when I shut the engine off coming from the radiator. To me, it seems like it could be one of three things. A plugged radiator or a bad thermostat or a bad waterpump. How can I tell which one it could be?
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2002
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From: Baltimore
Start with the thermostat. Easy fix and it's part of normal maintenance. You'll need a 10mm socket, and it's easiest if you remove the serpentine belt. When you buy the new therm, make sure you get the o-ring gasket as well. Most places sell them seperately.
Mike
Mike
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Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Marietta, GA
I just went through this with my '99 a couple weeks ago. I replaced the therm & o-ring, and then the radiator cap, just to be sure. Now it's running cooler than it has since I bought it in Feb.
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I just went through all this crap with my '01 Ranger; I replaced the thrmostat, the lower hose, and fan clutch. Out of desperation I pulled the pump to see if the impeller was rusted away... Then flushed the heck out of it. Still overheated after like 5 minutes of driving.
Check for cool spots in your radiator after you shut it off, you may have some plugged cores. Who would have thought an '01 with 36k on it would have a plugged radiator?
Oh and refill it with distilled water and antifreeze, especially if you have a high calcium content in your area's water...
Check for cool spots in your radiator after you shut it off, you may have some plugged cores. Who would have thought an '01 with 36k on it would have a plugged radiator?
Oh and refill it with distilled water and antifreeze, especially if you have a high calcium content in your area's water...
Last edited by mike968; Jun 14, 2004 at 01:47 AM.
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not sure whats going on with fords lately man...but my dads jaguar (also a part of ford) has been over heating like ****...its a V8 stype (300 horse) and within 5 min the temp gauge is redlined and it says HIGH ENGINE TEMPERATURE on the message center. also supposedly Explorer engines rotate cylinders or something when they overheat?? my 2000 book says it has an Alternating Cylinder Method or something cause mine overheated once but it was also 105 degrees outside and i had the air conditioner on.
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When installing a new thermostat, I would recommend a Stant over the stock Motorcraft. The German-made Motorcraft seems to have a lot of failures.......
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Had the same problem with my 94 at 130,000 miles. We replaced the thermostat, both radiator hoses, radiator, fan clutch, and fan blade (which was to the point of flying apart). The real fix on this was the fan clutch. We replaced the thermostat just to get the vehicle home. Both the fan clutch was the fix for the overheating.
After the overheating, my 94 was never the same. The power went down, it gurgled each time you started it up. Coolant loss was occuring, but could not find where it was going (was not going through the water pump weep hole). Then the transmission started acting up (would not downshift). If finally got tired of it and traded for a 2004.
After the overheating, my 94 was never the same. The power went down, it gurgled each time you started it up. Coolant loss was occuring, but could not find where it was going (was not going through the water pump weep hole). Then the transmission started acting up (would not downshift). If finally got tired of it and traded for a 2004.
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If the vehicle stays cool at idle then the fan clutch is most likely good.
To test the fan clutch get the engine up to operating temp and shut it down. Give the fan a spin with your hands. If it is difficult to move then the clutch is good. If it spins freely it's bad.
The fan clutch is designed to pull air through the radiator at idle when there is minimal airflow. Cobra2001 states the enigine overheats when he's driving... probably not the fan clutch.
To test the fan clutch get the engine up to operating temp and shut it down. Give the fan a spin with your hands. If it is difficult to move then the clutch is good. If it spins freely it's bad.
The fan clutch is designed to pull air through the radiator at idle when there is minimal airflow. Cobra2001 states the enigine overheats when he's driving... probably not the fan clutch.
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Electric fan
I'd like to go with an electric fan as well get maybe free up a couple horses, anyone have a set up that they can share. I was thinking of pulling a dual fan set up from a gm (have lots of them lol) But want to make sure i hook it up right so the a/c will work properly.
Thanks
Stoney
Thanks
Stoney
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Joined: Aug 2003
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well i had the ford dealership install it for me...so i know it was done right. normally they dont install aftermarket parts but since i have a personal relationship with the service manager he cut me a favor. i done many favors for him as well like getting him business and stuff like that in the past. but for this one i bought the whole service dept. lunch